I am on my way to having seen what feels like every physician/specialist in the state of Washington. Several have been good, a few have been exceptional and one has been remarkable.
I have never been the best patient and have tried to avoid doctors' offices all costs. So with my last two pregnancies I decided to go with a midwife. Our appointments were an hour long and it felt like a pregnant moms' playdate. My midwife and I, together would share in the excitement, emotions and physical aspects of pregnancy. I loved going and I love my midwife. Often, I wish I were still pregnant so I could keep going. I have complete faith in the homebirth/midwifery process and still do to this day. It scares me to think what would have happened if Ellie had been born in the hospital...would they have immediately taken her from me to run test? Those first few days of bonding were so special and important and already gone too quickly.
On "the day" that set into motion this diagnostic odyssey I knew however, I just had to get to a physician's office immediately. My midwife, whose opinion meant the truth to me, had always said how much she liked Woodcreek Pediatrics. I had called them in the past but dismissed them as an option because they were just too far. However, on that day when I needed to be seen asap, it was Woodcreek who got us in within the hour. A very nice pediatrician saw us and she referred us to their on-staff geneticist. I was so surprised to learn that they had a specialist like that in their office...like a hidden treasure for only few to find. The next 24 hours seemed like forever but at 12:00pm we met our first miracle. Dr. Lawson Yuen was sweet and soft spoken from the start. She had the perfect temperament for a hysterical mom who thought her child's life was over. She was kind and patient. She took time examining Ellie and offered reasonable explanations for most of the anomalies we were reporting. At the end of our appointment we knew that only genetic testing could provide the answers we were seeking. We left more calm than when we arrived and for that brief moment in time, a sense of peace came over us. A reassuring vibe that this WILL be OK and we can hope for the best.
And now, almost a year later, Dr. Lawson Yuen has been with us every step of the way and proven to be so absolutely, amazingly wonderful. She always spends so much time with us, never inches towards the door, is always listening and bless her heart, always tries to give us a glass half-full response. She is thinking about my child which is more than I can ask for. It is so easy to feel like just another patient that is forgotten the second you leave. Without the help of a physician guiding you through this process you are so easily lost between the cracks. She is the light leading the way. She took our case and presented it to hundreds of geneticists for feedback. And then, emails me at 11:30pm to let me know how the conference is going and who she has talked to about Ellie. She stays current on the constantly changing world of genetics which is not always the case for some geneticists. She is very well-respected within her community and everytime I mention she is our physician to a specialist at Mary Bridge or Seattle Childrens, nothing but kind words are spoken as she is so highly regarded. She never seems bothered when I ask her her thoughts on syndromes I find on the web or advice from other physicians. She answers our concerns at all hours of the day and night. She might be part-time at the office but I know she works overtime for us.
When you are seeing hundreds of physicians it's nice to have a trusted advisor to help you sort through all the opinions, weed through the unnecessary information and proceed with what really matters. Dr. Lawson Yuen hasn't given up on us. Even when it would be so easy to say "Sorry I don't know", she comes up with the next step to keep us pushing forward. She doesn't set the pace but allows us too. I love her so much for all that she has done for us. She has restored my faith in physicians; that there really are people who commit their lives to helping others. I suppose that this was something I was meant to learn.
What a wonderful woman! So glad to hear that there are kind and caring professionals in the traditional medical setting. Like you, I think I had lost hope, but this rekindles some of that.
ReplyDeleteShe is beautiful inside and out! I don't think I could ever say enough wonderful things about her.
DeleteI found your blog while googling Dr. Lawson Yuen. She is my daughters doctor and has been for the last year. My daughter was diagnosed with Gaucher Disease Type 1 on April 4, 2012 and Dr. Yuen has been a god send for us.
ReplyDeleteWe were so incredibly lucky in that we just picked her name off a list of doctor as a regular doctor for our children not knowing at the time that we would need a geneticist. Like you I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Yuen or the care she has given my daughter and her, at times, scared and upset parents!
Thank you so much for your post. I LOVE hearing about other families who have found this amazing doctor. I know what you mean..she is so caring for the parents just as much as for our children. I wish you all the best with your sweet little one!!! Thank you for reading our story :)
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